A technician performing a test at the Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Medical Testing, Bach Mai Hospital. — Photo Mạnh Dương

HÀ NỘI — In modern medicine, laboratory testing is no longer merely a technical function subordinate to clinical practice.

Testing plays a role at the most critical decision points like risk detection, diagnosis, disease stratification, treatment selection, monitoring of response, prognosis, disease surveillance and the evaluation of care outcomes.

This was the message from health experts at the first scientific conference organised by the Institute of Medical Testing under Bạch Mai General Hospital on September 18.

Speaking at the conference, Permanent Deputy Minister of Health Vũ Mạnh Hà highlighted medical testing as a crucial component of the healthcare system.

In recent years, Hà said, testing has advanced rapidly through automation, molecular biology, gene sequencing, mass spectrometry, digital pathology, big data and artificial intelligence. These advancements are driving significant changes in disease detection, risk stratification, and personalised treatment.

“Above all, test results must be accurate, timely and safe, effectively supporting clinical decision-making,” Hà said.

Deputy Minister Hà urged Bạch Mai Hospital to strictly manage the entire process, strengthen internal and external quality controls and risk management, and progressively adopt advanced standards.

Laboratory information systems must be integrated with electronic medical records and other relevant systems while ensuring data safety and security. Furthermore, testing data must be effectively utilised to support patient care, hospital management, scientific research and disease surveillance, according to Hà.

The conference features seven specialised scientific sessions covering: Haematology and Transfusion Medicine; Biochemistry; Pathology and Cytology; Microbiology; Allergy, Clinical Immunology, and Toxicology; and Gene Therapy and Stem Cells; alongside in-depth topics on platelets and hemostasis.

Participants agreed that the quality of testing directly impacts diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and prognosis, while also playing a vital role in disease surveillance and the response to medical emergencies.

Delegates engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as data and specimen governance as well as the integration of laboratory testing with clinical practice.

Associate Professor Dr Đào Xuân Cơ, Director of Bạch Mai Hospital, speaks at the event. — Photo Mạnh Dương

The dialogue centred on how to achieve standardisation without stifling innovation, identifying technology investments that truly generate value, and determining how to accelerate the delivery of scientific breakthroughs to patients while ensuring safety.

Associate Professor Dr Đào Xuân Cơ, Director of Bạch Mai Hospital, said that test data serves purposes beyond the management of individual cases.

“When properly standardised, managed, and protected, such data becomes a vital scientific resource for establishing disease profiles, sample banks, and biomedical databases, thereby enabling the development of predictive models, the assessment of treatment efficacy, and the translation of research findings into clinical practice,” Dr Cơ said.

In the near future, Bạch Mai Hospital will re-organise its portfolio of medical procedures based on clinical needs and the value delivered to patients and develop a rational testing strategy. The hospital plans to reduce redundant or unnecessary tests; expand specialised, high-impact testing; and establish mechanisms for testing consultations and interdisciplinary case reviews.

In addition, the hospital will advance science and technology through a 'bench-to-bedside and back' model and establish interdisciplinary research teams.

It will also expand its network to provide support in training, standardisation, technology transfer, and quality management consulting to other healthcare facilities, while operating safety systems and sustainably elevating standards, according to Dr Cơ.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Đặng Dũng, Senior Advisor at Mescells Healthcare System, shares his report at the session on gene therapy and stem cells. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

At the session on gene therapy and stem cells held during the conference, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Đặng Dũng, Senior Advisor at Mescells, a specialised healthcare system focused on regenerative medicine and cell therapy, presented updates on world-leading biomedical advancements, such as clinical trials using induced pluripotent stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease and HLA-G-targeted exosome technology.

“Stem cell technology is not merely a medical procedure but represents a key technological sector and a national strategic priority, as outlined in the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1131/QĐ-TTg dated June 12, 2025. Overcoming clinical challenges and mastering standardised production processes are the critical keys to ensuring the safe, effective, and sustainable development of this field in Việt Nam,” Dr Dũng said.

However, the safe clinical application of stem cells faces significant technical infrastructure hurdles: GMP-compliant manufacturing processes, research into microenvironmental interactions, and rigorous Phase III clinical trials, alongside stringent requirements for sterile facilities, modern equipment, a team of highly experienced experts, and specialised preservation and transport techniques for living cells, according to Dr Dũng.— VNS